Finding Good in Evil
by Seom
Summary: Frodo has been taken captive in Mordor and Sauron has something special planned for him... Completed
1. Chapter 1

Finding good in Evil  
  
(This takes place after Frodo was bitten by Shelob and taken by the orcs. Sam has been knocked unconscious when he threw himself against that door and time has passed.)  
  
Frodo awoke to the red light of the room he had been put in. He didn't know what had wakened him until he realized that everything was still. He had gone into a terrified uneasy sleep while the orcs had argued and fought. Now everything was still. The silence was worse than the fighting had been. The place all seemed dead. Frodo lay his head down again and tried to go back to sleep. He never got a chance to because of someone yelling below him. He couldn't make out the words, but it sounded angry. It wasn't an orc voice either. It sounded human. Frodo next heard a thump and then the trap door opened. Up into the room came a cloaked figure. Frodo cringed against the wall as the word "Nazgul" went across his aching mind.  
  
The cloaked figure stopped in front of him. "I know what you are thinking," he said to Frodo, "I am not a Nazgul. I am a living man. I am the Mouth of Sauron." Frodo said nothing and the man continued, "I have come to take you to my master himself. He wishes to speak to you. I will say no more on the subject. You are some important things that will happen in the near future. The enemy has used you for good but before long we shall use you against them."  
  
"How will you do that? I won't turn against my friends. You have already got the Ring. What do you need me for?" Frodo said this weakly, but braver than he really felt at the moment.  
  
"We do not have the Ring." The Mouth of Sauron said shortly.  
  
Frodo stared in amazement, "Then where is it?"  
  
"We were hoping you would tell us."  
  
"I don't know were." Frodo cut off and thought of Sam. Sam must have taken the Ring. Frodo felt anger that he couldn't control well up inside him. Sam had stolen it from him! How could he even dare?! Then in the back of his mind came a voice telling him that Sam hadn't stolen it. He was protecting it. This man would have had it if not for Sam. His anger subsided.  
  
The man threw Frodo some raggedy clothes, "Put these on and we will go to my master."  
  
Frodo couldn't move. He hurt too much. He had already been beaten and the wounds had only just stopped bleeding. The man took a whip from under his cloak, "I said move, Halfling!" He snapped the whip on Frodo's ankle. Frodo cried out and moved slowly to where the rags were lying.  
  
***  
  
(A/N: Here is when Sam is roused. It's the same as the book until he reaches the tower and gets inside. The change comes when the orc comes down the stairs.)  
  
As Sam stood at the end of the stairs that the orc was running down, his hand began to creep to the Ring. The orc stopped right in front of Sam in shock. He had not expected to see anyone at the bottom of the stairs and especially not such an elfish looking sort of person.  
  
The orc yelped in fear and stumbled up a few stairs before tripping completely on his face. Sam was over him in a second. He placed Sting at the orc's throat.  
  
"Where have you got my master, you filth?" Sam snarled.  
  
"We haven't got no one here. Only Shagrat at the top," the orc stammered.  
  
"You lie!" Sam yelled lowering Sting closer to the orcs throat, "I saw you take him into this very tower!"  
  
"They come and take him they have. Took him to Barad-Dur."  
  
Sam didn't have to ask who "They" were. "What are they going to do to him?" he asked breathlessly.  
  
The orc snickered. Sam pressed Sting harder into the orc's throat. The orc stopped snickering, but continued to sneer, "I don't know. What do you usually do with someone who is dead?"  
  
Sam felt faint. "Dead?" he said breathlessly. That couldn't be. "Y-y-you."  
  
The orc continued grinning, "They had to come carry him out of the tower. All limp and not breathing he was."  
  
Sam felt despair turn into rage at these words, "Y-y-you LYER!!!" The orc continued to snicker. Without another word Sam slit his throat. He then ran up the stairs to the very top chamber. He crept silently because the orc had said Shagrat was up here. He passed a closed door and saw a ladder going from the floor to the ceiling and leading into a trap door. Sam quickly climbed the ladder and found a room lit with a red light. It was empty. Sam knelt by a pile of rags and wept. Frodo was supposed to be in the top most part of the tower and was no longer here. He had lost him again. He looked at the rags and realized that they seemed damp. He carried them down into the light of the hall under the chamber and his fears were confirmed. The rags were smeared with bits of blood. It was no orc blood which was black. This was red. And it was still fresh. This meant he had been just a minute to late. If only he had figured out how to get passed that door sooner. If only he hadn't been a fool and thrown himself against that door. Frodo would have been alive right now.  
  
Sam felt the madness that had consumed him when Shelob had bitten Frodo take over him again. He dropped the rag. They would pay for this. It had been those orcs who had taken him in the first place. Shagrat! Shagrat was on the top floor! Shagrat would pay for killing his master. Sam felt himself being drawn to the closed door he had passed to get to the ladder. He kicked it open and stood in the doorway.  
  
*** (A/N: This is taking place right before Sam finds Shagrat)  
  
Shagrat had sent Snaga to send news to Lugburz almost half an hour ago. He had heard some squealing so he figured some of Gorbag's group had survived and killed him. So he closed himself into this room so he would hear if they came up. He didn't hear anyone. Just as he was about to go put away that ladder that went into the top room the door burst open. It looked like a figure cloaked in shadow. He could almost feel the rage coming from the figure. Though not all too tall, it seemed to possess some sort of unreachable power. They stood staring each other down, the cloaked one shaking with rage. Then with a cry he flung himself at Shagrat. Shagrat tried to dodge him, but the little creature was too quick and before Shagrat had a chance to react, he had been stabbed by an elven blade and died almost instantly.  
  
*** (A/N: After Sam attacked Shagrat.)  
  
Sam stood over the dead orc with his blade held high. Now that he had had his revenge, he didn't know what to do. He did know that he had to continue the journey; he just didn't know how to start. It was hard the first time to accept that Frodo had died, but again? It was unbearable. Sam, taken suddenly by despair, wept. He wept until he had to sit down, until he could cry no more. Then he got up and spoke into space, "Well here I am again Mr. Frodo. In the same fix as last time. Only this time your not even here with me. I'm gong now, Mr. Frodo. I might meet you were ever you are, but I must finish this task that was lain on me." With that, Samwise Gamgee put Sting in its sheath and left the tower, hurrying to find a way to get through the black land.  
  
***  
  
(A/N: Frodo has been in Barad-Dur for some time now)  
  
Frodo was sitting perfectly still in a seat before The Mouth of Sauron. He had a strange look in his eyes and deep within them could be seen the eye of Sauron looking out.  
  
"How is the sorcery going?" Sauron asked his lieutenant (A/N: Sauron is still the eye he can just talk to the Mouth of Sauron in his head is what I figure)  
  
"He should be on our side at any moment," The Mouth of Sauron answered.  
  
"What about this absurd height of his? Can your sorcery do anything about that?"  
  
"Yes, my lord," the man answered with an evil grin on his face. The lieutenant cupped Frodo's chin roughly in his hand and forced Frodo to look at him. "Who is your master?" he asked him testingly.  
  
"Sauron," Frodo answered. 


	2. Chapter 2

*** Sam had lost track of how long he had been wondering through this barren land. All he could think of was how Frodo had been taken from him. He would never see him again. It hurt to think about it, but he couldn't help it. And the weight of the Ring was incredible. He had no idea how Frodo had had been able to endure it for so long. Sam had to stop about every other mile just to rest from the weight. The Ring wasn't his only problem either. More and more armies seemed to cross his path every day. Once they would have caught him if not for the Lothlorien cloak. The cloak seemed to blend in with all the rocks he traveled among. Also, he still couldn't see mount doom. It had seemed to near for pleasure from the mountains and now he couldn't place in what direction it was in.  
  
Now as he wondered through the darkness of Mordor all hope of returning back to the Shire some day had gone. He only hoped to get rid of the thing that Sauron wanted most. He wanted to get rid of the Ring. The Ring is what Sauron wanted and he would not get it! Samwise Gamgee was going to make sure of that.  
  
Finally, after three days without sleep or food, Sam was over come by weariness. He fell to the ground and slept through disturbed dreams. As he slept he was not aware of the creature slowly creeping towards him.  
  
***  
  
Frodo observed himself in the mirror that was put into the room with him. He had been left in a tower not to far from Barad-Dur and given his own quarters. He had really changed from the hobbit he used to be. The Power from The Mouth of Sauron had made him taller, he had lost his curly hobbit hair and he some how looked nothing like his old self. The only thing that looked back at him that reminded him of the person he used to be was his eyes. The only change was that if you looked deep into them, you could see the eye of Sauron looking at you. Frodo avoided looking into his own eyes. They filled him with disgust. For all of the power he now had and he used to be a helpless halfling. Now he was more or less a man. Sauron had even given him a different name. He was now named Selteab.  
  
He turned as someone walked into the room. Sauron's lieutenant walked in and circled Selteab. "Those new robes I found fit well then?" he asked.  
  
"Yes they do. Thank you, sir," Selteab answered.  
  
"My lord, Sauron, wants you to ride with me when those men of Gondor attack."  
  
Selteab felt pride that his master was already letting him go into war. "I would be honored to ride into war with you, sir"  
  
"Good, because they will arrive in two days." The Mouth turned to leave.  
  
"One moment sir. Would it be possible to talk to my master in person," Selteab stopped him.  
  
"What for?"  
  
"Well, I know where my master's Ring is."  
  
***  
  
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	3. Chapter 3

Samwise heard Gollum hissing before he saw him. He had awaken because of a frightened dream and he lay still when he heard that loathsome hiss.  
  
"Where did massster go preciousss? Did she get him after all? Gollum, Gollum! Nassty susssspicioussssss hobbit all alone in barren land. We wonders why precious, yesss, we wondersss." Gollum hissed as he came closer to where Sam was lying.  
  
Sam's mind exploded with rage, but he kept his head, and very slowly loosened sting from its sheath. He heard Gollum creeping closer and just as Gollum was about to touch him, he flipped over pulling Sting from it's sheath and holding it to Gollum's throat while he held on to him by the arm. Gollum immediately went limp.  
  
"Don't hurts us," he begged, "Don't hurts us with nassssty cruel steal. Gollum, Gollum! We is only wondering where masssster has gone."  
  
"You should know you filthy Stinker. You're the one who sold him to the enemy!" Sam pressed Sting harder against Gollum's throat, "You're the reason he's gone!!" Sam was in such a fury he pressed the knife even harder against his throat, drawing a drop of blood. Gollum shrieked and tried to get loose, but Sam was so angry that a snake wouldn't have been able to have twisted out of his grip. "Stop moving!" Sam hollered in command. Gollum stopped and cringed under Sam's glare. While still holding on to Gollum, Sam lowered Sting and dug through his pack and found his rope. At the sight of it, Gollum began to twist and shriek.  
  
"Hold still!" Sam hissed dangerously.  
  
Gollum began to sob, but he slowed his movements to just flinching. Sam wound his rope around Gollum's ankle. Gollum writhed around and continued to sob pathetically.  
  
"Cruel, nasty hobbit!" he hissed, "gets the nasssty rope off of us!"  
  
"I won't! And if you don't stop your noise I'll gag you!" Sam whispered dangerously.  
  
Gullom went silent, except for his whimpering and sobbing.  
  
"Now, we are going to Mount Doom. If you give me any trouble, I'll bind you hand and foot and leave you to the orcs," Sam said letting go of Gullom's arm and pulling him along by the rope on his ankle.  
  
Gullom whimpered and followed Sam's lead through the barren land.  
  
***  
  
Seltaeb watched pictures flash through the crystal The Mouth of Sauron was using to search the land of Mordor for a certain Hobbit.  
  
"There," he said, and the picture stopped. A small cloaked figure was dragging a thin creature behind him, who seemed to be trying to resist to move. "That is him. He has the Ring."  
  
"Master, what should we do?" The lieutenant asked and waited silently for an answer. Then he looked back at Seltab. "My master wants you to go get him."  
  
"Of course," he answered.  
  
"And you are to go in your old form," the lieutenant continued.  
  
"I do not mean to question my master, but my old form? My old form is weak and powerless," Selteab said.  
  
"But your old form has a strong hold on the Halfling."  
  
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Yay I updated! I feel proud! Review! I'm sorry it took so long. 


	4. Chapter 4

Sam stumbled and fell, still holding the thin elfish rope in his hand. He lay still for a moment trying to regain some strength. He heard soft feet padding towards him. He looked up and saw Gullom crawling towards him. He was about to stand, but he saw a look in the creature's eyes he had never seen before. It was a slight look of gentleness. Only slight, but he had lost the maddened look that haunted his eyes.  
  
"Why is the hobbit taking the precious to the Mountain of Fire?" he asked.  
  
"Because I have to destroy it," Sam said shortly.  
  
Gullom seemed to want to hiss, but he held it back. "Why destroy it when the hobbit could use it? He could use it to get out of this barren place and go back home. Or he could give it to us! Yes, nice hobbit could give us the precious and be rid of the burden!" Gullom's eyes gleamed as he spoke and Sam saw the insane look coming back to them.  
  
"I won't give it to you and I won't use it," Sam said hotly, as if he were talking to a child who had done wrong, "Master Frodo couldn't do it, so it was passed to me to destroy it. It's the main reason he was killed. He would be happily living in the Shire if it hadn't have been for the Ring. I owe it to Frodo to destroy it."  
  
"But master would never know! Just give it to Smeagol and you'll have gotten rid of it like you had originally set out to do," Gullom said creeping closer.  
  
Sam shot to his feet and Gullom cowered back.  
  
"Don't you talk of things you don't understand! I am going to destroy the Ring! End of story! It-" Sam looked up and caught sight of something moving in he darkness. He ducked down behind a rock and waited for the figure to pass by, praying that it hadn't noticed him. He pulled Gullom down beside him, who cowered by the rocks.  
  
They had only waited for a minute when he heard of timid voice.  
  
"Sam?"  
  
Sam froze. No, it couldn't be... Not...  
  
A curly head peeked from around the rock and looked at him.  
  
"Sam?" Frodo said kindly. "Come on out. There's no one around."  
  
Sam didn't know what to say or do. He sat where he was, to shocked to do anything. Finally he found his voice.  
  
"N-no... I can't... this... I have to be dreaming!" he said at last.  
  
"Sam, it's alright. There's no one looking, There's only you and me in this part of Mordor," Frodo said kindly.  
  
"No... this can't be true... your dead... they took you to Barad-dur! No! Stop it! This isn't true!" Sam cried out. He could feel hot tears stinging his eyes, threatening to spill over.  
  
"Sam, it's me, Frodo. Come out here so we can talk. It's as real as anything. This isn't a dream if that's what your thinking. Come out here," Frodo said.  
  
"No! This isn't true! This is just a terrible dream! Don't do this to me! You died! Your gone, there's no bringing you back! This is a trick of some sort!" Sam said.  
  
Frodo extended his hand. "Take my hand. I swear to you it's real. I wouldn't break a promise to you."  
  
Sam stayed still where he was. At first it didn't look like he would take the offered hand. But then, very slowly, he extended his hand, and carefully placed it in Frodo's.  
  
Frodo smiled. "See?"  
  
Sam's face turned to a mixture of sadness and happiness. Frodo pulled him into an embrace, and all of Sam's emotions spilled. He began to sob on Frodo's shoulder, clinging to the one he thought he had lost. Between his tears he managed on word;  
  
"H-how?"  
  
Frodo smiled softly. "Let's not discuss it right now, Sam. What of the quest? Do you have the Ring?"  
  
Sam let go of Frodo and looked into his eyes. He saw what he thought was excitement, but he shoved it out of his mind in his happiness to see him again.  
  
"Yes, I do have it here, but do you think we should speak of it here?" Sam said looking around.  
  
"Yes, Sam, I would like for you to give it to me. It was my burden, and I don't want it to be yours any more. You've suffered much," Frodo said gently.  
  
"As you say, Mr. Frodo," Sam said and took the chain with the Ring on it from around his neck. He began to hand it to Frodo's outstretched hand. Then he pulled it back. "Mr. Frodo, won't you tell me how it is that you're here now?"  
  
"Later, Sam, give me the Ring first. Then you'll have an explanation," Frodo said, and Sam saw something strange in his eyes as his hand stretched out again for the Ring. Frodo's hand was shaking with excitement.  
  
Sam began to give it to him again, but then hesitated for a second time. "Mr. Frodo, will you please explain. I don't mean to be snooping or anything, but I would feel more comfortable to know how this came along and that it was the real you. It pains me to accuse you of not being the real you, but something don't feel right, if you take my meaning."  
  
"SAM! GIVE ME THE RING!" Frodo yelled, almost looking like he was about to pounce on Sam.  
  
Sam had a look of horror on his face and tears began to stream from his eyes again. "I knew it," he said quietly, "it isn't really you! This is all a trick to get the Ring!"  
  
Frodo seemed to get a hold on himself again, and he looked sorrowful. "Sam, I'm sorry. Please don't think that. It is me. It's just the hold of the Ring on me. I'm so sorry, Sam. Please give me the Ring?" He said apologetically.  
  
"No! You give me an explanation first! Then I'll believe you!" Sam cried.  
  
Frodo's anger showed in his face. "Sam, Sam, Sam," he said shaking his head, "I always did under estimate your intelligence," he began to get taller before Sam's eyes, and a shadow seemed to fall on them. "If you do not give me the Ring, I will take it by force," Frodo continued in a menacing voice. A voice that was not his own. He continued to grow until he was a man Sam did not recognize.  
  
"I won't give you the Ring!" Sam said fiercely, trying to get it back on his neck.  
  
The man in front of him took a step closer and unsheathed a knife from inside the cloak he was wearing. He took another step towards Sam.  
  
Sam cowered to the rocks he had been hiding by. He felt a sudden urge to put the Ring on. To disappear and get away from the frightening man.  
  
"Yes, Sam. Put on the Ring," the man said tauntingly, "disappear from my sight and go into the sight of my master."  
  
Sam tried with all his strength to resist the urge to put on the Ring, but his hand was slowly moving toward the chain.  
  
Unexpectedly, there came what looked like a dull grey flash rushing from behind the tall man. It pounced onto the Sam and he was able to make out two glowing green eyes.  
  
"Give it to usssss!" Gullom hissed as he wrestled with Sam, "Give ussss the precioussss!"  
  
"NO! GET AWAY YOU FOUL CREATURE!" Seltaeb cried and stabbed his knife forward. With a cry, Gullom fell away from Sam, clasping his side near the ribs.  
  
"You is stabbed us!" he cried, "You is stabbed us! Precioussss save ussss!"  
  
Seltaeb kicked the poor creature away from the hobbit who was trying to catch his breath.  
  
"I have you now, Sam," he said tauntingly.  
  
Without warning, Sam took something out of his cloak. It began to shine bright, and Seltaeb tried to cover his eyes.  
  
"What the- no, not that!" he cried as he cringed from the brightness of the light.  
  
Sam lifted the Light of Galadriel above his head at the man who stumbled away from his shielding his eyes. Then he fell to the ground. He seemed to be shrinking, though Sam wasn't sure if it was his imagination.  
  
Then the light ended abruptly, and Sam waited for his eyes to get used to the darkness again. When his eyes adjusted, he saw Frodo Baggins the hobbit lying on the ground with a dark cloak covering his shaking form.  
  
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	5. Chapter 5

Yay! I finally finished "Sailing on the Big Blue Wet thing"! Now I get to finish this one! I'm so happiful! I may not be able to update for a while even though I am finished with all (yes ALL) the chapters because I don't have internet at my house so yeah, there might be long periods between updates and there might not even hardly be any at all! Anyhoo, hope you like this chapter! Read and Review!  
  
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Sam lowered the elven light slowly and warily made his way towards Frodo. At least he thought this time is was Frodo. The small figure was shaking and Sam heard a small moan.  
  
"Sam...?" Frodo asked looking up.  
  
Sam ran to his master and pulled him into his arms.  
  
"Oh, Master Frodo," he sobbed, not able to keep back the tears.  
  
"Oh, Sam," Frodo said, tears silently running down his face. "Sam, I'm so sorry. So sorry."  
  
"It's alright now, Mr. Frodo," Sam said trying to stop his tears.  
  
"It was so horrible," he continued, "all the faces, all the claws groping at my face, the whips... oh Sam!" he stopped talking and put his face into Sam's shoulder, sobs racking his body.  
  
Sam embraced his master and, even though the position they were in was not one of the best, gladness filled his heart. His master was with him again, though it pained him to see Frodo in this condition; sobbing uncontrollably as foul memories of what had happened went through his mind. They sat where they were for some time until Frodo's breaths evened out and he was no longer crying, but still clinging to Sam desperately.  
  
Frodo looked about him; struck with a sudden thought, his eyes fell on a wretched crumpled heap that was Gollum.  
  
"Sam...!" he said breathlessly.  
  
Sam looked at where Frodo pointed out and sighed.  
  
"I killed him, Sam!" Frodo said mournfully, "I killed him! I know he deserved it, but for it to be me to have done the killing... He had guided us, I had been his master and for a short time his friend, and I killed him," he buried his face in Sam's shirt again, more of shame than of sadness.  
  
"It was his own fault, Master," Sam said softly, "He attacked me, and though you weren't in your right mind at the moment, you still defended me from him. He could have killed me, but you got him. And he delivered you to the enemy. Don't think on it, Mr. Frodo. You can't blame yourself for the wretched creature."  
  
Frodo looked up at Sam's face.  
  
"Thank you, Sam. Though I still feel terrible, you're right," he let go of Sam and sat looking around. "Well, we're in a fix, Sam. I don't know what to do next."  
  
"We should take the ring to the Mountain of Fire, Mr. Frodo. We still can't give up the journey we set out to do," Sam said in a matter of fact way that only Sam Gamgee could pull off without sounding out of place in the middle of a barren land.  
  
"Yes, I know," Frodo agreed, "But how do we start? What do we do to begin?"  
  
"For one thing, Mr. Frodo, your going to put on my elven cloak. You can't go wondering around in nothing and that big cloak you were wearing in just to big and those clothes. They'd be to heavy, so you can wear my cloak around you waste and fasten it with a bit of the rope," Sam said.  
  
Frodo smiled. "Yes, Sam that I think we should start out with. Then we have to somehow find where we are and how to get to the Mountain-" Frodo stopped and suddenly winced.  
  
"Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked worriedly.  
  
Frodo's eyes closed as if trying to block out an image or memory.  
  
"Hold onto my hand, Sam," he whispered hurriedly.  
  
Sam took his hand, confused.  
  
"They're trying to get me back," Frodo went on.  
  
Sam's eyes got wide with understanding and fright. He pulled Frodo into his arms.  
  
"It's going to be alright, Mr. Frodo," he said, "I won't let them take you."  
  
"They're getting hold of me! Sam! Whatever happens you are always my friend! If they get me again and I come after you, you have to swear that you won't hesitate just because it used to be me. If I attack you must fight back! Kill me if that's the cost!" Frodo said hurriedly.  
  
"No, Mr. Frodo!" Sam said, close to tears.  
  
"Swear to me, Sam! It won't be long now! I can feel them taking me! Swear to me, Sam!" Frodo said, his own voice breaking.  
  
"I... I swear, Mr. Frodo," Sam said, finally unable to hold back his tears and they slid down his face.  
  
"Sam, you'll always be my friend, and I love you, don't ever forget that. You are my closest and most cherished friend," Frodo said holding Sam tightly, "Goodbye, Sam. He's going to take me soon."  
  
"No, Mr. Frodo! No!" Sam said holding onto him tighter.  
  
"Goodbye, Sam," Frodo said, and suddenly disappeared from the embrace.  
  
Sam fell to the ground and didn't bother to even try to get up. Sobs racked his body. Why? Why did life have to be so cruel? 


	6. Chapter 6

Sauron's lieutenant scowled at the small hobbit writhing in front of him. He was resisting the sorcery this time. The Halfling moaned, tossing and turning as if in a nightmare.  
  
"How was it that he was changed back?" the Mouth of Sauron whispered to himself. "What sorcery was it that reversed this magic? It must have something to do with elves."  
  
He paced the length of the room and stopped in front of the Halfling again. "How about we try it extra this time, hmm?" he said sourly to Frodo and from his hands came what looked like black bolts of lightning.  
  
Frodo emitted a small scream as if in pain, and twisted more violently. Then he held still... he didn't move again...  
  
The lieutenant smirked.  
  
***Frodo's Point of View***  
  
He was in that dream again. Last time he hadn't known what it was, so he had held still with horror trying to will it to disappear. Now he knew what they were doing. He knew the dream wouldn't end until they had a hold of him; of his mind.  
  
The faces. Those shadowy faces with black sagging holes for eyes and their mouths agape in suffering and anguish. They came at him, their shadowy claws reaching at his face, scratching and marking it. Their voices rose in screams of pain and fear, reaching to such pitches that made his skin crawl and sent shivers up his spine.  
  
Frodo looked on in horror, and tried to get away. He began to run though he didn't know where he ran to. The faces where all around him, their screams filling his ears. He ran, not able to see where he was going. The blackness pressed in on him and the faces were closing in.  
  
Then he saw a light, a familiar light and with the light he saw the face of Sam. He ran faster trying to reach him.  
  
"Sam!" he called, but Sam was disappearing. He was moving further and further away with each step that Frodo took, the light retreating with him. "Sam!!!"  
  
Lightening crossed what he thought might be the sky. But it wasn't just any lightening; it was black.  
  
The faces moved in on him. They closed around him, their terrible screams and moans coming from their horrible agape mouths. Frodo screamed and tried to escape the mass of smoky faces.  
  
"SAM!"  
  
******  
  
Sam walked slowly yet deliberately in the direction he best guessed was towards Mount Doom. He was way beyond any more tears now. What he felt now was the familiar rage that plagued him in this Black Land. The Dark Lord of Mordor would feel his wrath. He would destroy this Ring even if it brought his own death. The Ring that had caused so much suffering would be destroyed.  
  
He looked up and gasped at the sight of Mount Doom. The huge mountain towered above him. He didn't know when he had become to close to it, but there it was in front of him.  
  
"Well, Mr. Frodo," he said to the air, "I've made it this far. I just hope I make it the rest of the way. If your really gone this time, Mr. Frodo, I'll be with you shortly."  
  
He continued his way up the Mountain to where was sure to be his death. 


	7. Chapter 7

Hey, hey, hey! It's the last chapter! Yes, very short story, but it was intended to be this short. Just an alternative ending sort of thing for ROTK. Hope you enjoy this last chapter!  
  
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Seltaeb stood absolutely still as the Mouth of Sauron inspected him. Anger for the Halfling, Samwise, smoldered in his eyes. He was impatient to get his vengeance on the Halfling, but he stood at attention as the lieutenant gave him his orders.  
  
"The first thing you must do is find that light that he shined at you and destroy it. Then you must kill him and take the Ring. He is already at the Mountain so you must go quickly. We are going to try your old form again, this time you must be weaker, you must act the pathetic Halfling who has just been beaten and sent out of Barad-dur. If he does not fall for it again, then you will immediately go back to your old form."  
  
"Yes, sir," Seltaeb answered.  
  
"Fine. Go now," the lieutenant made a motion and Seltaeb was in his old form of Frodo, but he looked like he had been recently beaten, his already raggedy clothes torn and his back crusted with blood. The Mouth of Sauron made another motion and Seltaeb was now at the bottom of the Mountain seeing the Halfling crawl slowing up the face of it.  
  
******  
  
Sam clutched his chest where the Ring hung gasping for breath. It was so heavy. It felt like it was cutting into his neck. He looked up. He didn't know where he would be able to enter the Mountain but he had recently found a road that made the way a tiny bit easier and he followed it hoping that it would lead him to the place he needed. He looked back to see his progress and froze.  
  
A small figure stumbled after him, nearly crawling on all four. From what he could see, it was wearing tattered rags and moved as if in pain. But no matter the distance, he could tell it was Frodo. Or looked like Frodo.  
  
He didn't know what to do. If that was just another trick then he should just hurry on, but if it was really Frodo... it he was nearly beaten to death and was trying to make his way up to him for help... it would be heartless to leave him!  
  
He couldn't make up his mind and slowly Frodo made his way towards him and he heard a feeble call.  
  
"Sam...?"  
  
He sounded so weak. Sam began to make his way down the Mountain again until a though hit him. His journey. He couldn't just give up. It was more likely that that wasn't Frodo, but if it was, Frodo wouldn't care that he had taken care of the journey first. When the task was done, he would be able to help Frodo.  
  
He turned back around and began to go up the Mountain again.  
  
"Sam!" he heard desperately called from behind him. His heart ached and if he had had any more tears they would have fallen. A part of him screamed for him to go back there and help his master, but the other part calmly told him to keep going, keep going...  
  
He saw a red light shortly ahead and hurried faster. He heard footsteps behind him and knew he had been right in going on without even looking back. He began to run as fast as his small legs would carry him and dodged inside the Cracks of Doom before just ahead of the man behind him.  
  
He yanked the chain from around his neck that held the Ring and began to run towards the edge where he saw the fires leaping up. He was nearly there, when something grabbed his leg and he fell to the ground.  
  
"Thought you had gotten away that easily, did you, Halfling?" Seltaeb hissed into Sam's ear.  
  
Sam struggled to get the light of Galadriel from his pocket. He had just begun to lift it out when Seltaeb noticed what he was doing and knocked it from his hand.  
  
"That won't work this time, Sam," he said menacingly as the glass clattered away. Seltaeb grabbed Sam by the throat and lifted him from the ground. Then taking out his sword, he pointed at Sam's heart. "Say goodbye, Sam."  
  
Sam braced himself for the impact, but stared bravely into Seltaeb's face.  
  
Then Seltaeb made a mistake. He looked into Sam's eyes. He had avoided them up until now, but now he looked into the hobbit's eyes and he paused. In Sam's eyes he saw bravery, loyalty, and love. They all seemed so familiar somehow. Though Seltaeb's mind was different from Frodo's, he saw Sam's eyes, and memories began to swirl in his head. Memories of the Shire. Walking though the woods, Bag End, Bilbo... Then came memories of the quest of the Ring. The Mines of Moria, Lothlorien, Amon Hen, Sam running to the boat and jumping into the water after him, his curly hair going under, traveling through the Dead Marshes, and climbing to the pass, Shelob, and when he had turned back to Frodo and Sam so happy to see him alive again...  
  
All of these memories went though his head within seconds, but those seconds where enough of a hesitation. Sam lifted his hand with the Ring and threw it.  
  
Time seemed to stop. The Ring sailed slowly through the air and for a moment, Sam didn't think it would make it, until...  
  
The Ring fell into the Fire.  
  
"NO!" Seltaeb screamed and let Sam fall. He ran to the side and looked over, but it was too late. The fires swallowed up the Ring and the Mountain began to shake. Seltaeb fell back and Sam watched as he thrashed and flailed, screaming in pain and clutching his head.  
  
Then he began to shrink. Slowly at first, but then rapidly and became Frodo again before Sam's eyes.  
  
Then Frodo lay still and Sam wasn't sure if he was breathing or not. He ran to his side and turned him onto his back.  
  
"Sam..." Frodo said softly.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Frodo. I'm here," Sam said, joy filling his heart.  
  
"Help me up, Sam. We need to get out of here," Frodo said trying to get to his feet.  
  
Sam helped him and with Frodo leaning heavily on his shoulder, they were able to make their way out of the cave.  
  
Once outside they sat on the ground, Frodo leaning on Sam's shoulder.  
  
"Sam... I'm so sorry..." Frodo gasped.  
  
"Its okay, Mr. Frodo, you couldn't have helped it," Sam said.  
  
"Well this is the end, Sam Gamgee," Frodo said heavily.  
  
"Yes, but I knew it would end like this, or course, Mr. Frodo," Sam answered.  
  
"Yes, I'm glad you're here with me. Here at the end of things, Sam."  
  
The End!  
  
Well, at least the end of my story. The rest of the story goes on of course the way it always does. This was just an idea I had for a different sort of ending. Hope you liked it! I certainly liked writing it! Hope for reviews! Lots of luv!  
  
Seom 


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